Montana man convicted in January 6 Capitol breach

Business Owner Found Guilty for U.S. Capitol Breach

A Montana resident and business owner, Henry Phillip Muntzer, has been found guilty for his involvement in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, which disrupted the certification of the 2020 Electoral College vote.

Verdict and Conviction

The verdict was announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Montana after a bench trial before U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb, where Muntzer was convicted of obstructing an official proceeding and civil disorder, both felonies, along with four misdemeanor charges.

Incident Details

Muntzer, a 55-year-old appliance store owner from Dillon, was arrested based on his social media posts and videos taken inside the Capitol, as per court records. Prosecutors presented evidence that Muntzer and a group of friends had traveled to Washington to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally following former President Donald Trump's speech at the Ellipse. Muntzer subsequently joined the crowd in walking to the Capitol, spending approximately 38 minutes inside, including on the Senate floor, before being among the last to exit the building.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Muntzer's sentencing is scheduled for June 20, and he has expressed intentions to appeal, citing that he was not allowed to present all the evidence he possessed, including some classified documents.

In his hometown of Dillon, Muntzer is recognized for a pro-QAnon mural on the building housing his appliance store, a detail reported by the Dillon Tribune. It's worth noting that QAnon is associated with unfounded conspiracy theories.